Briefs

Syrup sale benefit

PORTLAND -- Trinity Church -Portland, in partnership with Christ Church-Middle Haddam, is selling Portland-made maple syrup to raise funds for the Bishop's Fund for Children.

Sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut, the Bishop's Fund For Children raises and distributes monies to agencies, organizations and programs in Connecticut that address needs of children at risk in cities, towns and rural areas.

Syrup may be purchased while supplies last at the Trinity Church bookstore, 337 Main St. (two doors south of the church). Quart jugs are $12; pints are $7; half-pints $4.

The bookstore is open Monday and Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The bookstore may be reached at 342-0673.

Child safety

PORTLAND - A Children's Empowerment Seminar gives children the skills to survive a violent encounter. A safety team is lead by Nicholas A.J. Cordone, head master/chief instructor of the CT Shorin-Ryu Karate Studio, and Matt Remondo, chief of the East Hampton Police Department.

The event is Saturday at the CT Shorin-Ryu Karate Studio, 143 Marlborough St., from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Ages: Children 5-12 years old. Cost: $25 per child. Parents are invited to participate at no cost). To register, call 342-2381.

Detroit Hunter Easter Candy Hunt, April 3, 10 a.m., Middletown children, 10 years and younger, City Hall front lawn on deKoven Drive. Rain site: Fayerweather Gym on Wyllys Avenue - Transportation will be available from the Chamber of Commerce on Main Street to the rain site, courtesy of Middletown Area Transit. This event is held in honor of former Recreation Supervisor, Detroit Hunter. The Easter Bunny will be available for pictures.

Introductory Cheerleading, April 7 - May 19 (Wednesdays), 6:15 - 7:15 p.m. (K - 12th grades), $55 resident/$70 non-resident. This program is designed to introduce and teach athletes the basic fundamentals and proper technique of cheerleading.

Grandparents and Relative Caregivers Support Group, second Tuesday of the month at 10 a.m. (September through June) at Middletown Senior Center.

To register, call 343-6620.

Church talk

MIDDLETOWN -- "Cohen at the Bat," a lecture by Dr. Peter Levine, will be held Sunday at 10 a.m. at Congregation Adath Israel, Church Street. The free talk is part of the Synagogue's 100th anniversary celebration and is sponsored by the Adult Education Committee.

Levine will speak on the Jewish influence on the sport of baseball. He is an expert on sport and American social history and has written three books on the topic. His books include the award-winning, "Ellis Island and Ebbets Field: Sport and the American Jewish Experience," a look at sport and the assimilation of American Jews in the 20th century. Levine is a professor emeritus of history at Michigan State University.

A bagel and lox brunch will be held at 10 a.m., followed by the talk at 10:30. For information, call Eileen at 346-4709.

Crop Walk

MIDDLETOWN - The Middletown Crop Hunger Walk is Sunday at 1 p.m. A 5-mile loop beginns at Holy Trinity Church (381 Main St.) People may walk, volunteer or sponsor a walker. Contact share@churchworldservice.org or call 347-7821, to participate. One-quarter of the money raised will go to St. Vincent de Paul Place.

The rest goes to the grass-roots hunger and development projects sponsored by Church World Service, which includes outreach in the United States and 80 other countries around the world.

Antiques appraisal

CLINTON - The Clinton Historical Society will hold its antiques appraisal day Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. at the Captain Elisia White House, Main Street. Bring antiques and mystery items to a panel of appraisers and discover information and the value of treasures. A donation of $5 per item is requested. The fee will be waived if the item is consigned to the Antiques Auction June 12. For information, call Ed Lang at (860) 669-6364 or Bob Bischoff at (860) 669-4454.

Military whist

MIDDLETOWN - Tonight, the military whist card party with Mike Welch officiating will be held at Third Congregational Church, 94 Miner St., just off East Street (Route 217). Doors open at 6 p.m. Refreshments are served at 6:30 p.m., cards at 7 p.m. Cost is $5.

High school dance

EAST HADDAM -- There will be a high school dance at St. Bridget's Church Saturday from 7 to 10 p.m. Students in grades 9-12 who either live in East Haddam or are registered members of St. Bridget's Church may attend. The cost is $5. Refreshments will be available for sale. Permission slips and school identification cards are required for admission. Permission slips are available at Nathan Hale-Ray High School or by calling 873-8141 or 537-0693. Chaperones are also needed.

'Opera Choruses'

DEEP RIVER -- Deep River resident, Kathleen Gister, is in her third year as president of Cappella Cantorum Inc. as the community chorus enters its 35th season. In addition to being presi-dent, Gister is also chairman of the Music Committee and publicist.

She will be singing tenor when Cappella presents "Great Opera Choruses, Solos & Duets" Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Old Saybrook Middle School, 60 Sheffield St.

Gister is the former president of the Friends of the Deep River Library, plus a member of the Project Management Institute. Tickets range from $11 to $15. For reservations, call (860) 434-9135 in Old Lyme or (203) 245-7871 in Madison.

Belladonna Quartet

CHESTER -- It will take just one cello, one harpsichord, one recorder, one violin and one four-woman Belladonna Baroque ensemble concert to forever change perceptions of early music. Belladonna Baroque Quartet is internationally and nationally acclaimed for its alchemical ability to convert the spontaneous energy of popular music into the golden world of art music.

The concert will be held Sunday at 5 p.m. at the historic Chester Meeting House, at the corner of Goose Hill Road and Liberty Street.

The Meeting House is an intimate hall known for its acoustics, an ideal setting for baroque music. With fewer than 200 seats, advance ticket reservations are strongly encouraged. The Meeting House has general seating.

Tickets are $5 for students and $19 for adults. To order, call 526-5162.

Stroke support

CROMWELL -- The Middlesex Stroke Support Group will meet Monday at 1:30 p.m. in the John M. and Theresa A. Rook Social Center at Reilly Manor, Hicksville Road.

This is not a physical therapy group. It is a social interest gathering to meet other people with the same affliction. Meetings are held every two weeks, and all newcomers and their spouses or caregiver are welcome to attend. For information, contact Ida at 349-8105 or Ann at (203) 235-4275.

Romero, the first Latino and openly gay man to head the ACLU, assumed his executive director position just eight days before the Sept. 11 attacks on America. He is the ACLU's sixth executive director in the institution's 81-year history.

Before joining the ACLU, he worked at the Ford Foundation for almost a decade. After less than four years, he was promoted to become one of the youngest directors in Ford's history. Before joining the Ford Foundation, Romero worked at the Rockefeller Foundation. Born in the Bronx of immigrant Puerto Rican parents, he is fluent in Spanish and graduated from Stanford Law School and Princeton University.

The lecture is part of Wesleyan University's 13th annual Hugo L. Black Lecture Series. Its pur-pose is to provide a continuing educational program for the students and faculty at Wesleyan with respect to freedom of expression as set forth in the First Amendment. The Hugo L. Black Lecture on Freedom of Expression, endowed by a gift from 1944 Wesleyan graduate Leonard S. Halpert, is named in honor of the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice. It was inaugurated in 1991-1992 and is offered annually at Wesleyan.

Authors Celebration

DURHAM - Hundreds of budding young authors are poised to convene at The Young Authors' Celebration Saturday at Coginchaug Regional High School from 9 to 11:30 a.m. The event marks the 14th year Regional District 13 elementary schools have united to recognize the writing accomplishments of K-4 students. Students who have written and bound a book in their classroom this school year are invited to attend.

Local author and illustrator Steven Kellogg will bequest the event as guest speaker. Kellogg has more than 100 children's books to his credit.

Kellogg will explain his favorite activity of telling stories on paper during a illustration presentation. Young authors will break into smaller book-sharing groups followed by a book signing with Kellogg.

T-shirts were designed by John Lyman fourth-grader, and Taylor Burton, winner of a district-wide contest. For information, call Elizabeth Hadlock at 349-7240.

Open house

MIDDLETOWN -- The Village at South Farms, 645 Saybrook Road, will host an open house with speaker Dr. Sheehan Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Enjoy refreshments while learning about this lifestyle option for older adults. Tours will be given.

After the tour, Sheehan will host a viewing of "The Forgetting," based on the novel by David Shenk.

"The Forgetting" will also begin at 1 p.m. Sheehan will be available for questions after the film.

For details, call Barbara Richo at 344-8788.

Spiritual retreat

MIDDLETOWN -- The Buddhist Faith Fellowship will sponsor a spiritual healing and renewal retreat with quiet sitting and walking meditation, sound therapy, tai chi, chanting and talk. The donation is: pre-registration, $30; $40 at the door. The event is Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Memorial Chapel, High Street, Wesleyan University.